By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Escalating gang violence in Haiti’s capital city had forced Louisiana Reach Haiti to refocus its ministry on several fronts in 2022, but in New Orleans God was opening a door for Dawest Louis to share Christ’s love with his fellow countrymen, including those forced to move to the U.S. due to the situation in the Caribbean nation.
Dawest, who graduated from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary two years earlier, had longed to reach the more than 10,000 Haitians living in New Orleans with the Good News and began the process through the North American Mission Board to plant a church.
Without a church building to call home, Louis and 11 others gathered for prayer and sought the Lord for His direction. God answered in April 2022 when Connect Church, Algiers, offered a space in their facility and Eglise Connect International was born.
The church continued meeting and has grown to 65 who attend Sunday worship services. Of those, 12 have been baptized since its inception.
In addition to holding Sunday worship and Tuesday Bible study and prayer, the church brings water to and shares the Gospel with taxi drivers at Louis Armstrong International Airport. Through that, several have turned to Christ and been baptized.
The church also holds several block parties a year in nearby parks, and hosts English as a Second Language classes to the community where many attend who do not have a relationship with Christ.
Ryan Rice, pastor with Connect Church, said it has been a blessing to be the sending church.
“Pastor Dawest has a heart for the community, evangelism and discipleship,” Rice said. “Our church family is thankful to see what God has done through them in such a short time as a church plant. Connect International was the first plant to be sent from our church, leading us to desire to continue planting more churches.”
Darron Badon, president of Louisiana Reach Haiti (a partnership between Louisiana Baptist Convention, Haiti Baptist Convention, Louisiana Baptist churches and the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries), asked others to continue praying for the church to reach many more Haitians.
“What an incredible opportunity we have to share the Gospel with Haitians without leaving Louisiana,” Badon said. “We are thankful for how Dawest and his church continue to minister to other Haitians right in our home state.”
FUTURE FORWARD
Louis is excited about the possibilities to grow the membership and introduce many more to Christ.
“My wife and I have four kids, so please be in prayer for my family as we seek to be obedient to God’s calling,” Louis said. “Be in prayer for the church family itself and that God raises leaders.
“We need people to help carry the load,” he continued. “And, pray that we find a place to be a little bit more permanent together so we can have a place to call our home as we share Jesus’ with even more Haitians and others in the community.”
